The Silence Of Friends Job 2:13

Mission Trip Day 8 - Listen - Job's friends came and spent 7 days with him without saying a word. Often that's the best comfort we can be. Often there are no words. Everything we say results in more pain. There's nothing that can be fixed. Listening is a ministry. When we listen to someone else, we send the message that they're important. We tell them anything that belongs to us is less important than whatever they want to say or do. 

Listening requires silence, and it also requires questions. Sometimes, we need to ask questions. Jesus asked 339 questions. A friend named Bob Tiede wrote a small book that contains the 339 questions Jesus asked. When we ask to learn, not to cross-examine or to make a point, we also send the message the other person is important. Click here to get your own free copy of this book or any of Bob's other books: https://leadingwithquestions.com/resources/ 

Today, be quiet. Listen. Trust God. Ask a question if you must. Sometimes all you need to do is pause and the other person will keep going. Don't interrupt. After a couple of seconds of silence, then ask, "What else would you say about that?" or "Tell me more." Ask God to give you ideas as you listen for ways to serve others. Those ideas may be Jesus talking. Listen for his ideas and for the Holy Spirit to nudge you to serve others so that Jesus becomes visible. 

And don't forget to check out our online community. Go to community.followerofone.org and join us. Members of Follower of One can be the friends you need to help you integrate your faith daily.